How to Print Invitations at Home Using Your Own Inkjet Printer

Step 1: Download the Printing Template from our website

On the left side of every page you will find a link called Free Printing Templates. Click on this link.

Printing Instructions

You will see a list of all our invitations listed alphabetically. Scroll down until you find the name of the one you want to print. Click on the Template link on the right.

Printing Instructions

You will be prompted to either Open or Save. We suggest you click on Save so that you will have the template on your own computer. If given the option tell it to Save it to your Desktop or to some folder where you can easily find it again. That way you will be able to access it when you want and you can save the changes you make.

Printing Instructions

Step 2: Open the Template in Microsoft Word

You will see something like this. Don’t worry about the fact that it looks off-center. It is meant to be, for reasons we will explain a bit later.

Printing Instructions

Step 3: Try a Test Print on Your Printer

Before you put in a lot of hard work on the wording and decoration of your invitation, let’s make sure you’ll be able to print the template OK first. If a printer problem is going to arise, this is where we’ll discover it and thus we can resolve the problem before continuing.

So put one of the invitations or test sheets into your printer longways i.e. with the shorter side of the card facing toward the rollers and the longer side against the guides, like this:

Printing Instructions

Step 4: Fine tuning the position of the text on the card

Most of the time the printing templates work just fine. However because all printers vary you may find that you need to tweak the exact position of the text on your cards to get it to print perfectly in the center of your cards. Here's how you do it:

Go back to the open template and click on the border of the text box to highlight it. Then, if you need to move the whole text box just hold the mouse button down and drag the text box to where you want it. However if you just need to move the text a small amount the best way is to do this: click on the border of the text box to highlight it, and you will see that in the middle of each border there appears a little square box. Click on that and drag the border itself in the direction you need to move and then let go.

Keep doing that with each border until the printed card looks perfect. Then make sure you SAVE the template (use SAVE AS, not SAVE) and give the file a slightly different name like "Pocket Direction Card MINE" so you know which template to use in future.

Step 5: Change the Wording to Suit

OK, we've got our printing template ready. Now you will change the wording to what you want your invitation to say.

Our templates are generally set in a standard font that everyone’s Word program will recognize. However there are lots of other more beautiful fonts out there that can be purchased or downloaded for free (Google “free downloadable fonts”).

For wedding invitations here are some of the more elaborate script fonts:

Printing Instructions

Step 6: Tips on Getting Your Invitations to Look Fantastic!

OK, you've got your invitation to say what it needs to say. Now let’s make it pretty. You do this by changing the Font, the Font Color and if desired by adding flourishes like a Border or a Monogram or a Photo, etc.

To add images, flourishes, etc: You will find many downloadable images such as flourishes, hearts, flowers, etc, by Googling "Clipart flourishes" or "Clipart hearts" etc. You will find lthat many are free while others you can buy for just a few dollars, they're not expensive.

To add a Border: You'll find that some of our templates already have a border available. To add a border click on the text box to highlight it, then right-click on the border area of the text box. Click on "Format Text Box" and then select Line Color to whatever color and thickness you desire.

To add a photo of you and your fiance: You will first need to crop or size the image to fit the space you're inserting it into. You can do that with the Paint program that comes with every PC. Just go to All Programs>Accessories>Paint. After you've sized it accordingly, save it and then go back to your printing template. Click on the area where you want to insert the image and then select Insert Image from the menu.

To fine tune the spacing between lines on your card: You can change the spacing between lines on an invitation by changing the font size of the cursor – even though there’s nothing typed in that space. For example, here’s an RSVP Card that doesn’t quite look right. There is too big a gap between the RSVP header and the “Kindly respond by…” line. You can reduce that gap and move the whole text up by reducing the font size of the space where the cursor is.

Printing Instructions

Step 7: Troubleshooting printing problems

1. When you do a test print, the printing on the card is off to one side. All printers vary or rather their printer drivers vary, so when this happens it's usually because the printer driver on your printer is not reading the paper size or position correctly. The first thing to try is drag the text box to what you think is the correct position on the template. Click on the border area of the text until the text box is highlighted. Then hold the mouse button down and drag the whole text box in the direction you're trying to move the printing and then try another test print. Does this improve things or not? If so then keep adjusting the text position until it looks right.

Remember you can also move the text box by changing the margin sizes. The way to do that is to go to Page Setup (usually in File Menu).

Printing Instructions

2. If that doesn't fix the problem. Call us at our Customer Service Line and we'll help you resolve the issues you're having with your particular printer. The phone number to call is 303 444 6154 between 8 am - 8 pm Mountain Time.
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